Some Say the Tsunami Was Predicted And More...

Kikar has an article with videos how the controversial figure R' Nir Ben Artzi predicted the tsunami.  According to this, Rav Dahan now has company as a tsunami-predicter.

You can see this prediction at Tomer Devorah's new blog - Geula Messages - from Parshat Ki Tisa (emphasis mine):

Every earthquake that passed over us was only preparation and introduction to open the big one - for the severe quake and great shaking in the world. The floods will be in places where man doesn't believe that there will be floods. Volcanic eruptions will be very severe. People will see in the media hard things that the eye of man will not be able to tolerate. Snows, rains, severe winds; the tsunami in readiness for many places; everything in stages and in it's proper time. All this HKB"H is doing for the sake of the Jews. The hatred for Jews all over the world strengthens from day to day. They won't be allowed to earn a living with honor. They will be injured in their stores, in restaurants, in coffee shops so that the Jews will come to Eretz Yisrael. The worldwide economy will go and die out in very place and Eretz Yisrael will flourish and develop without end. All of this is happening because of the redemption and revelation of Melech HaMashiach in our days.

The Mashiach is here among us. He is the final designated one from the beginning of the world and is here, existing and operating. There is no other time period that he will come, this is the period and this is the time to reveal Melech HaMashiach. HKB"H is shaking the whole world; shaking every one; shaking every Jew and Jewess in Am Yisrael and in the whole world so that everyone will declare: "His Name is One and He is One and there is nothing except for Him. He is the King of all kings, HaKadosh Baruch Hu."

Rav Binyomin Ederi, the Chabad Shliach in Japan, said:

“Today we had a major earthquake, thank G-d we are all fine. All the houses and buildings literally swung, trains are not operating, highways have been closed and phone lines down. There hasn’t been such a strong earthquake in the Tokyo area for at least 70 years. This is a very strong Tsunami.” and added “One of the signs of the Redemption is that the earth will shake and get worn out like a garment. We hope and pray that G-d will continue to protect Japan and all the people that no harm will befall anybody.

Thank you to all those that called, emailed, or prayed for us. May Hashem give you only good tidings.”

R' Harry Maryles:

The response throughout the ages among Jewish leaders to world events such as this is to first see it as obvious horror that it is and then to reflect upon our own behavior. It is a sort of ‘but for the grace of God – there go I’ feeling. We are urged to look inward and do a Cheshbon HaNefesh - an examination of our own personal lives and see what we can do as individuals - and as a people - to improve our behavior in the eyes of God.

Devorah from Mashiach Is Coming quoting from Avodah, quoting the Hafeitz Hayim:

"Several weeks ago I publicized an essay concerning the great earthquake that happened in our land. In that essay I encouraged Kelal Yisrael to do teshuva and that the earthquake was a warning to the entire world that they should repent of their evil ways and believe in Hashem Who controls all. Not for naught did all these terrifying and frightening things of this year come upon us. And now, we hear new and terrifying information about the great flood that took place in our land and the great earthquake that took place in Russia in which were killed and injured thousands of men, women and children and many livestock; many of them were buried alive. Even in our land we experienced some tremors of this earthquake. Certainly any thinking person should be gripped by fear and trembling as to what Hashem has done to us. The One who is good and does good to all and is merciful on all of His creations, and does not even desire the death of the wicked, as it says 'By My life, says Hashem, I do not desire the death of the wicked one, but rather that he repent and live'(Yechezkel 33).The understanding person will realize that Hashem is urging us to do teshuva and is showing us all that He has the power to as He pleases, and none of His creations of above or below can tell Him what to do. And it is clear to me that if we had prophets sent from Hashem, they would without doubt be standing guard to urge Jews to do teshuva to our Father in heaven. Because, with our evil deeds we have no prophets or divine messengers in our times, He is urging us through other messengers to do teshuva, as it says 'He makes winds-his messengers; burning fire-his servants."'

Devash from Tomer Devorah quotes an article that tells us that this earthquake was triggered from above in more ways than one:

A shockwave from an X-Class flare hit the earth during a 24 hour window of when Japan was hit by the quake. There have been connections to heightened solar activity being one of the many possible triggers of earthquakes. One meteorologist has studied geomagnetic field patterns in space weather since the early 2000s. "I may just be a weather guy, but solar weather has had my interest for years when I noticed the connection. Many past quakes have been connected with solar flare events, including other events such as Gamma Ray Bursts, or GRBs. I am pretty certain these have connections to triggering earthquakes, however I do not yet understand it. Japan's activity may not have happened if it was not for the solar flare activity. Others in weather laughed at me for years for what I worked on in quake triggers, however this just may help put that to rest".

One more thing:

There are those who think that Geula bloggers are all giddy when disaster strikes.  Well, that's true in a deep way, but not exactly.  It's kind of like Avraham Avinu when he was about to sacrifice Yitzhak Avinu.  The poet describes it as:

עַיִן בְּמַר בּוֹכָה וְלֵב שָׂמֵחַ

The eye cries bitterly, but the heart is joyous.

We hate seeing death and destruction as much as anyone.  It's a terrible thing.  Life is the most precious thing there is.  The loss of even one life is devastating.

On the other hand, we see it with a different lens than most.  We know that these terrible events are prophecies unfolding before us.  We know that just as the horrific prophecies have come true, so too, the positive prophecies of our Final Redemption are to come true.  This is why Ribbi Akiva laughed (at the end of Messechet Makkot) after seeing the Shu'al on Har Habayit.

In addition, there is a derasha to support this.  On the verse (Tehilim 2:11) עבדו את ה' ביראה וגילו ברעדה, the Yerushalmi (Berachot 5:1) says: א״ר אחא לכשיבא יום רעדה תגילו, and as Tosefot (Berachot 31a s.v. במקום גילה) explain: if someone prays to Hashem with fear, when a day of trembling comes, he will be happy.

That said, I beseech Hashem: May the trembling be over for Am Yisrael and may we be shown the signs that all agree are positive - at the time when Your face will no longer be hidden, Amen.